Taking Photos of Snow

Unless you live somewhere tropical, you have probably been affected with the winter weather we have been having! Where I live in Central Illinois, it has been below zero many days, lots of wind and snow, recently prompting snow days from school and being cooped up inside. I couldn’t wait for a decent amount of snow to fall and the temperature to warm up so we could get outside, and I could finally get some photos of my sweet kids playing outside. Last weekend, I got my wish! But taking photos in the snow is not as easy as you would think!

Set your White Balance

Instead of leaving your white balance on “auto”, switch it to “flash”. This will allow the camera to compensate for the blueish tint that flash leaves on a photo, leaving your snowy photos appearing slightly warmer and not overexposed. Don’t try to eliminate ALL of the blue color that snow leaves, or your snow will look yellow!

Composition Matters

A snowy landscape can be pretty in person, but in photos, it may translate into a white out! Find something to break up the pale color scheme– a barn, a row of trees, or even your kids!

Timing is Everything

For the best results, take your snowy photos early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The sun during the middle point of the day can be very harsh and too reflective to get any good photos with depth or texture! As I was browsing Pinterest the other day for some snowy inspiration, I came across this photo and it is the perfect example of this point!

Bundle up and get your camera out! You might be surprised with the beauty that winter can hold.